


Shown up!

by Hypatia_66



Series: An UNCLE Gazetteer [11]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Gen, Physics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 17:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14938472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypatia_66/pseuds/Hypatia_66
Summary: LJ ABC Affair II. K – Kettering, 1966.The Russians have developed a new satellite launch pad - did the USA miss it?





	Shown up!

Mr Waverly ignored it as the door slid open and his two top agents entered. He didn’t look happy. Illya and Napoleon exchanged a glance, wondering what they might have done to incur his criticism, and went to their seats and waited for him to speak.

“Gentlemen, it has come to my notice …” he paused and tamped his pipe, which he then put down on the table, and started again. “The United States,” he said, “with all the technology, all the scientists, all the required knowledge, in short, all _possible_ ability to monitor the activities of its opponents…” he paused again, bristling a little. The other two men remained silent, a little puzzled. This obviously had nothing to do with any dereliction on their part. “I repeat. The best the USA can offer has been shown up – _shown up!_ – by a bunch of English schoolboys in Northamptonshire.”

“It has?” said Napoleon, mystified. “… how?”

“It seems there is a pair of lowly science teachers with an interest in space who have established a listening station for monitoring orbiting space satellites.” He huffed and added, “– Using tin cans and string by the sound of it.”

“Actually, it must be radio equipment,” said Illya diffidently. “Then you can record changes in the Doppler signal’s frequency as the satellite passes over – that way you can calculate its orbit. It would be a good way to teach kids about wave frequency.” He was a little embarrassed and coughed apologetically when Waverly glared at him.

“Then why hasn’t anyone here done it? Answer me that!”

Illya raised his eyebrows and shrugged slightly.

“It seems they picked up a different signal some _six months_ ago, reported it, and no-one paid any attention.”

“A different signal?” said Napoleon, wondering where this was leading.

“From it, they identified a second Russian launch site – near the Arctic Circle in Russia rather than the one in Kazakhstan.”

“Plesetsk, I imagine,” said Illya and looked thoughtful. “The Russians will never admit it,” he said, “and I will bet you anything you like, the USA _does_ know about it – and won’t admit it either.”

Mr Waverly’s ruffled feathers smoothed themselves. “You could be right, Mr Kuryakin,” he said at last, “but I’d like you to visit this school and talk to the teachers…” he looked at his notes, “…a Mr Perry and a Mr Slater. See if they have been approached by anyone, or indeed threatened for publicising such sensitive information.”

“Better to make such things public than hide them,” said Napoleon. “It must be healthier when everyone knows what everyone else is doing.”

“I daresay,” said Waverly, bristling again. “I’ve arranged for you to visit tomorrow.”

“Where are we going?” said Illya as they stood up to leave.

“Oh, didn’t I say? Kettering Grammar School.”

The two agents left the room. “Never heard of it,” said Napoleon.

“I think I know where it is,” said Illya. “the M1 motorway goes to Rugby which is quite close to Kettering, I believe. Shouldn’t be difficult to find.”

“In case we can’t, you can bring your tin can and some string.”

ooo0000ooo

**Author's Note:**

> Kettering Grammar School Satellite Tracking Group, started by Geoff Parry and Derek Slater, began as a simple physics experiment to listen to and track signals from Russian satellites. They used a World War II CR 100 receiver and a borrowed signal generator. The aerial was a length of wire strung between two school buildings. Pupils involved in the experiment were expected to come in whenever they were free, to record readings. 
> 
> After tracking the launch of Cosmos 112 in 1966, the Kettering Group became famous around the world for beating the Americans to the discovery of the new Russian launch site. In fact, it’s likely the Americans did know about the site but kept the information classified. The Group expanded to include scientists worldwide and was dissolved in 1984.
> 
> The new launch site at Plesetsk was only acknowledged by the USSR in 1983.


End file.
